3-Month Rain Retreat at Healing Spring Monastery

Join us for our 90-day Rains Retreat (2024-25) where we simplify our lives and deepen our mindfulness practice.

General information

• Arrival day: Wednesday, 6th November 2024
• Opening Ceremony : Sunday, 10th November 2024
• Closing Ceremony : Friday, 7th February 2025
• Departure Day: Saturday, 8th February 2025
• 5 days preparation , 90 days retreat, 95 days in total.
• Location: Healing Spring Monastery (carte)
• Language: English only
• It is very important that you understand and are able to express yourself in English.
• Meals : Vegan

What is the 3-Month Rains Retreat?

The Rains Retreat is an annual retreat whose origin dates back to the time of the Buddha. This is a time for monastics to deepen their studies, practice, healing, and transformation. In the Plum Village tradition, we also welcome lay practitioners to join and participate in this period of in-depth practice alongside the monastics at Healing Spring Monastery.

Many of us have the need to slow down, to regroup and recover, to look deeply into ourselves and our relationships with our families and society. These three sacred months are to be dedicated to the development of more depth in the practice of meditation and learning the art of walking the path of understanding and love, while supporting the monastic community, and actively engaging in community building. These concrete actions are essential for cultivating peace and reconciliation, both personally and globally.

Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh taught us to enjoy every breath and every step, creating a legendary moments in the very here and now. This is the challenge offered to us, so that we can put into practice and harvest the fruits of joy and happiness.

Who can participate ?

This retreat is a long period retreat, please strictly follow the requirements below:

1. Maledue to our current condition we can only receive male participants. Plum Village Center receives more diverse gender, click here, thank you for your understanding , 18 years old and above.
2. You have participated in Plum Village retreat in one of our monastery at least 2 times.
3. Physically, mentally and emotionally stable because you are expected to support yourself, monastic community and weekend guests.
4. Strong aspiration in deepen your mindfulness practice, actively engaged in the daily schedule, building community, Service to the communityOffering your time and energy to serve voluntarily to support the daily functions and tasks of the community
5. Committed to participate the whole 95 Days in total , except emergency in family or health condition and Christmas time with your family. (if you need Visa to enter Schengen Europe please apply it properly)
6. We do love animals but at the moment we don’t have capacity to host them in the monastery, so please find a lovely place for your pets so that they will be well taken care for 3 months.
7. Commit not to take substances that alter the mind (i.e. no drinking of alcohol, smoking, or prohibited drugs of any kind).
8. Practicing to live in harmony and respect towards each other through practicing the 5 Mindfulness Trainings. Doing your best to contributing to a safe and nurturing environment for all

The order of interbeing member (OI member) someone who practices the (14 mindfulness trainings), and officially ordained in this Order.

We have 2 spaces available for OI members in this retreat. OI members will be crucial in supporting the monastic community by leading sessions and coordinating with lay practitioners, while the monastic members focus on their practice and study. The OI members also have a chance to deepen their practice in community living and facilitation. The 8 points above are also applied to OI members.

How does the Program look like? 

The day mostly starts at about 06.00 and ends at about 09.30 followed by the practice of Noble Silence until the next day after you wash your breakfast dishes. You’ll have a chance to practice sitting meditation, walking meditation, service meditation, cooking meditation, lazy day, etc

Special activities in the week:

• Thursday, it is a day where monastics and lay practitioners practice separately.
• Sunday, twice a month, we will practice together with nuns, and people who come and practice for a day. every end of the month we will practice with Vietnamese community
• We will receive guests who come to practice for weekend.
• End year Holiday, We’ll welcome and celebrate the Christmas, New Year and Vietnamese New year in February. Some of the 3-month participants may visit their families in Christmas and come back for celebrating new year.
• There will be Dharma talks, study Classes, Group Mentoring, Dharma Sharing session. All session will be in English or translation in English

please note that this retreat is not a silent retreat.

How can I prepare myself?

• Please organise properly all aspects of your life in such a way that you are free enough to practice peacefully for 3-month without being too busy during the retreat.

• Some reading important preparation:
• What to bring ?
• How to get to the monastery?
• Plum Village practices
• Thich Nhat Hanh’s books
• Teaching Videos.
• Sample schedule

Contribution 

Healing Spring Monastery is restarting its activities in March 2024 after having been absent for almost 2 years. This year, we can only host 8 people maximum for The whole 3-month Rain Retreat program.

Regular price for our retreat in Healing spring in dormitory of 3-5 beds (shared rooms) is 80€/night, total 90 days are 7200€.

Reduction that is applied to all participants of the 3-Month Retreat:

• General : 2500€ – 3600€ for 6 people.
• Special : 1500€ – 2600€ for only 2 OI members who have served and practiced with the sangha for a number years.

This contribution goes towards your full participation of the Rains Retreat schedule, and includes your accommodation and food.

The contribution above is a sliding prices. We recommend you to contribute a little bit more than the lowest price, depending on your financial condition, because the monastery really need support for the monastics’ basic need and the expenses for the building such as gaz, water and electricity. There will be no further reduction from the lowest price above.

_{(Note: All of our programs embrace the nature of impermanence, if the condition is not sufficient the elements of the retreat may be adjusted, be rescheduled or be canceled)}

Apply Now

The process of the registration:

1. Submit the application request.
   • If you are not accepted, then we will inform you.
   • If you are accepted, then you will be sent an acceptance email.
2. Receive a reservation Number.
3. Pay the amount of the contribution will be required within 2 weeks after you receive the acceptance email.

_{Registration will be opened on Jul 1, 2024}

_{Once you register you will be guided through the whole process step by step.}

Important information : 

• Term and condition
• Refund and cancelation policy
• What to bring
• How to get to the monastery 

_{Contact us}